We demonstrated recently that both constitutive and FAS-triggered apoptosis of human neutrophils are profoundly impaired by Francisella tularensis, but how this is achieved is largely unknown. To test the hypothesis that changes in neutrophil gene expression contribute to this phenotype, we used human oligonucleotide microarrays to identify differentially regulated genes in cells infected with F. tularensis strain LVS compared with uninfected controls.In order to examine the effect of F. tularensis on the neutrophil transcriptome, we performed microarray expression analysis on human neutrophils treated with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica live vaccine strain (LVS).

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were isolated from the blood of healthy donors. Control and F. tularensis-exposed PMNs were incubated at 37C for 0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours.

Schwartz JT, Bandyopadhyay S, Kobayashi SD, McCracken J et al. Francisella tularensis alters human neutrophil gene expression: insights into the molecular basis of delayed neutrophil apoptosis. J Innate Immun 2013;5(2):124-36. PMID: 22986450